Another Mistake
by nimacu
Summary: The sequel to same mistake. Follows Ino and Naruto's Romance as they prepare to leave to catch Sasuke. InoxNaru and Sakux?
1. Matching Jumpsuits?

**Title: Another Mistake**

**Synopsis: The sequel to same mistake. This time the mistake isn't Ino's. InoxNaru and Sakux? **

**Disclaimer: "It's all been done before" – Barenaked Ladies (see even my disclaimer doesn't belong to me**

**Author: Nimacu**

**A/N Thank you to all who sent a gentle nudge of encouragement to get this thing out!**

It was a fine and sunny morning in the hidden village of Kohana, and on this fine morning two of Konoha's finest ninja's could be found in the uppermost level of the Yamanaka home. And while you couldn't see Yamanaka Ino because she was in the closet, her closest friend and sometimes rival Haruno Sakura could be seen pacing outside of said closet.

"We're going to be late" Sakura warned as a light blue piece of cloth flew out of the closet and landed on her head.

"Just a minute, I know what I want is in here somewhere! It has to be, I only bought it two weeks ago!"

"Just put anything on, it doesn't matter anyway. It's not like he has any sense of style"

"Of course he doesn't, it's not him I'm worried about pleasing! He thinks I'm pretty no matter what I wear."

Sakura rolled her eyes at this "Then why can't we just go?"

"Because it's not everyday your boyfriend is promoted to Jounin, not only promoted to Jounin, but only two weeks after he passed the Chuunin exam."

"Gee, you're bragging about him again. I'm glad you mentioned it, because I really wasn't listening the first two hundred times you told me." Sakura rolled her eyes again as Ino walked out of the closet.

"You know, if you keep doing that your eyes will get stuck that way, and then you won't just be forehead girl, but forehead girl with cross-eyes."

At that Sakura stuck her tongue out Ino "We'll I'm going to the ceremony, whether you're coming with me or not is up to you. I'm not going to miss my best friend's promotion simply because you wanted to wear matching jumpsuits, it's not like the two of you aren't already cute enough to make me sick"

"You're just jealous"

"You're right, every night I lay awake wishing that my boyfriend was loud and annoying!"

"And who would that boyfriend be, Sakura? Your imaginary one?"

Before Ino even got the last question out she knew she'd pushed her too far, and that was validated when Sakura huffed out of the room. It took Ino a split second before she decided that catching up with her friend was more important than the jumpsuit. After all they could wear them for the next special occasion.

* * *

They were fighting… 

They weren't within fifty feet of Naruto and he could tell. And he could imagine exactly how it had happened, they'd have been getting along fine, and then one would have said something slightly insulting to the other one, who would then return the insult. It would continue like that until one crossed over the invisible boundaries they'd set up and hurt the other's feelings. He'd only been dating Ino for five months and he'd seen the same pattern acted out between the two over and over again, they knew how to push each others buttons in that way that only another girl could do.

But still they persisted on in their sick sort of friendship, and a tiny part of Naurto's mind would always remind him that at least they weren't trying to kill each other like he and Sasuke. In fact lately they'd been seeking out each other's company, it had been Sakura who'd waited Ino while he'd been participating in the second part of the Chuunin exams. And it was Ino who'd requested Sakura for a recent mission she'd led.

_Why do you want to take her? Naruto was confused as to why Ino would want to spend three days with someone she claimed to hate. "Because she's the best medic nin I know"; "But you don't even need one for this mission, it's simple." "Just don't worry about it, I got to pick my team and I wanted her; that's all there is to it." _

Naruto had chalked it up to one of those "girl" things, but still it confused him even this morning as Ino had declared she and Sakura were going to get ready at her house and meet him at the Hokage's tower for the ceremony. Well it wasn't a ceremony per se; it was more along the line of meeting with the Hokage and her advisors. It was of no consequence if he annoyed The Fifth until she agreed to let him bring Sakura and Ino with him.

* * *

"Sakura, I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought your singleness to your attention. I know you're sensitive about it." Ino had caught up to Sakura just before they'd reached Naruto. 

"It's alright." Sakura mumbled, Ino could always manage to hide an insult in an apology. But in all honesty, she didn't think she realized she was doing it half the time. Besides today wasn't about them, it was about Naruto, and speaking of Naruto he and Ino were doing yet another cutesy couple thing as they greeted each other. Really it was enough to make a girl sick!

"Ino-Chan!"

"Naruto-kun!"

This was followed by several public displays of affection. "Enough already get a room!" Sakura stomped past the two and into the tower.

"What's her problem?" Naruto asked

"I don't think she got enough beauty sleep last night" Ino shrugged as she took his hand and walked into the building with him.


	2. Paperwork and a pat on the head

**Title: Another Mistake**

**Synopsis: The sequel to same mistake. This time the mistake isn't Ino's. InoxNaru and Sakux? **

**Disclaimer: "It's all been done before" – Barenaked Ladies (see even my disclaimer doesn't belong to me**

**Author: Nimacu**

**A/n Thank you to my two tiny reviews!**

Naruto, Ino, Sakura and Chouji (who had also been promoted to Jounin) were celebrating at the barbeque restaurant (which had just recently li8fted the ban on Ino and Naruto's presence), Naruto had been slightly disappointed in his Jounin "ceremony", all that had he had been given this morning was a pile of paperwork and a pat on the head from the Hokage. In all honesty he'd expected more; maybe some candles or incense would have been nice. And really a secret handshake wasn't too much to ask for?

"I'm so proud of both of you" Ino told the new Jounin.

"I can't believe we both became Jounin before Shikamaru" Naruto commented

Chouji spoke for the first time "Well there's a reason for that."

"What? He turned it down because it was too troublesome?" This time it was Sakura who spoke

"Well, yeah actually he did." Chouji said with a mouth full of pork.

"I've known snails with more ambition that that man" Ino huffed as she too started eating.

"So have I" the group was surprised to notice that Aburame Shino had walked up behind them."

Naruto was excited to see another one of his friends on his "Special" day. "Shino! Come join us, we're having a special lunch to celebrate Chouji and I becoming Jounin."

"Well, since I did come to find you, it wouldn't be too much trouble to eat as well."

It was about fifteen minutes after Shino had joined them and they'd started eating when Naruto spoke. "Why are you looking for me?"

"I've heard that your new Jounin status was given to you at this time so that you could lead the mission to remove Sasuke from Orochimaru's hands."

"Yes, that's why it was rushed without the required number of Chuunin missions. But what does that have to do with you?" It didn't take keen powers of observation to notice that at the mention of the Uchiha's name the tension level at the table rose.

"I want to go"

"Why? It's a dangerous mission, we've failed before and if we fail again it will mean the end of Konoha"

"If you allow me to come we won't fail" The determination on Shino's face was absolute.

"I'd already planned on requesting you for the mission." Naruto looked pleased with himself, although when Sakura asked the next question the smile on his face froze.

"Naruto, who do you pan on taking with you?" Naruto cringed at Sakura's question, it was something he had though a lot about, and while Shino had made his list, Ino hadn't. He knew she wouldn't be happy with his decision and he'd been trying to come up with a sensitive way of telling her.

"Well…" Ino pushed when he didn't answer

"Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, Lee, Chouji and Sakura"

When he hadn't listed his girlfriend's name the entire table tensed and Chouji mumbled something about how Ino's yelling always gave him indigestion.

"You don't want me on your team?" Ino's voice was much quieter than anyone expected, because although they knew Ino well no one realized how fragile her confidence was when it came to what Naruto thought of her.

"It's not that I don't want you on my team…" Naruto was going to continue before Ino interrupted him. "No, its ok, I understand. It's your team and you'll pick whoever you think is most suited to it." As she was saying this Ino got up from the table "I really have to go now, it's my shift at the flower shop" She gave Naruto a quick peck on the cheek and was gone before anyone could get over the shock of her compliance enough to say something.

"You should probably go talk to her" Sakura said as she elbowed Naruto in the gut

"Yeah, I'll see you guys later" And that he was off…

* * *

It didn't surprise Naruto so much to find Ino crying, he could see that she'd been close to tears in the restaurant. He'd been afraid that this might happen and yet at the same time surprised at how quietly she'd handled it. 

"I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I know"

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because you don't think I'm good enough to go on your "precious" mission." Her voice was getting louder as she'd started to gain back some of her dignity, no matter how much she loved him he wasn't going to turn her into a blubbering fool"

"That's not way!"

"THEN WHY? AFRAID THAT I'LL CUT IN ON YOUR PRECIOUS SAKURA TIME!" Ino wasn't sure where that had come from; she hadn't even realized she was jealous of Sakura until just now.

Naruto had no idea that Ino was jealous of his time spent with Sakura. The fact that she might even suggest unfaithfulness mad him mad enough that he was unable to stop the next sentence that cam out of his mouth, a thought that although he knew to be untrue, still plagued him in his weaker moments. "NO, MAYBE I'M JUST WORRIED YOU"LL RUN OFF WITH SASUKE THE MINUTE WE GET HIM BACK!"

"CRASH!" Naruto barely dodged a vase of flowers

"GET OUT NOW!" "CRASH, CRASH, and BOOM" Two more vases' and the cash register.

"YOU CAN'T JUST ORDER ME OUT BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING OUR FIRST FIGHT!"

"OH YES I CAN! IF YOU WANT A GIRLFRIEND YOU CAN WALK ALL OVER GO FIND HINATAT!" "CRASH!"

"WELL IF YOU EXPECT TO HAVE A BOYFRIEND YOU CAN BOSS AROUND YO'D BETTER FIND AWAY TO SNAG SHIKAMARU!"

"Maybe I WILL" Ino had no intention of "snagging" Shikamaru,

"No you won't"

"And why not?"

"Because you love me!"

"Oh, well I've never been one to make the best judgments when it comes to love" The steam was going out of her anger.

"Would you like me to remind you why you love me?" He could tell she was calming down and he gave her one of what he thought of as his "disarming" smiles

"You could give it a shot." She didn't know how she could stay mad at him while he was standing there grinning like an idiot

"Because, I love you so much that I can't take you an S-Class mission because I'd be more worried about protecting you then accomplishing the objective."

"You love me that much?" She could help the smile that reached her face as she walked over to him sliding her arms around his middle.

"Yeah, pretty funny huh?" he murmured into her hair as they embraced.


	3. Four ninja's are playing poker

**Title: Another Mistake**

**Synopsis: The sequel to same mistake. This time the mistake isn't Ino's. InoxNaru and Sakux? **

**Disclaimer: "It's all been done before" – Barenaked Ladies (see even my disclaimer doesn't belong to me**

**Author: Nimacu**

**A/NGlad to see that I've got some of my fantastic readers from the first story back. Enjoy!**

Now that things with Ino had been worked out they both knew that it would be only a matter of days before he left, he'd spent the evening two days before in Tsunade's office discussing the mission with her.

"_Now that you're going to be a Jounin, it's past time that we retrieved Konoha's most dangerous missing Nin. If Orochimaru's is allowed to transfer his spirit into Sasuke's body in four weeks time it will mean the end of Konoha"_

"_I know"_

"_Your objective will be to stop Orochimaru from obtaining the sharingan. If he won't come back willingly, your number one objective is to destroy his eyes. Whatever happens Orochimaru must be stopped." Tsunade didn't want to tell him that he had to kill his former teammate, after all it'd taken her twenty some years after Orochimaru had defected before she could pursue him with killer intent. _

_Naruto cringed at the thought of leaving his rival blind, there would be no greater punishment for the man than to live without his Sharingan, no matter the mixed feelings of affection and hate he had for Sasuke, he could never do that to him._

"_I will bring him back dead or alive"_

"_I'm glad that you say that, I wonder if the Third or Jiraiya or I had been able to pursue Orochimaru with killer intent when he first left Konoha if any of this would have ever happened."_

"_I won't make the same mistake" The boy who spoke was no longer the excitable young man she'd met all those years ago, for better or for worse he'd become a man and a proud shinobi of the leaf._

"_If you were worried that I couldn't complete the mission, why send me?" Naruto was no longer anybody's idiot; he knew what had to be done._

"_Because, this is your load to bear. No one else can do it for you. In you and Sakura lay our last hopes of bringing Sasuke back alive, you're the only people left alive that he cares for."_

"_Pushing a whole through my chest isn't exactly caring enough to send the very best" Naruto was tired of talking about Sasuke, and he was tired of people insinuating things about team seven, it all seemed so long ago and distant now. Could they have ever been that young?_

_Tsunade didn't know how to respond to that, the best response she had was that in the end Sasuke had left him alive. But Naruto knew that, he lived everyday knowing that. So instead she said nothing and they spent the rest of the night fine tuning Naruto's strategies and going over the team that he'd picked._

_

* * *

_

Ino and Naruto had closed the flower shop for the day and were picking up all the pieces of the glass that Ino had broken.

"We're going to be leaving soon" Naruto felt like he had to put into words what was hanging over their heads.

"Do you know when?" Ino's heart clutched in fear as she heard it out loud

"I'd like to leave by tomorrow morning." He knew she'd expected more time before the mission.

"Well you should probably start gathering your team together tonight"

"I was hoping to be able to do that this afternoon" He hated to leave her but he knew he had to

"I don't need help picking up the glass, you should go" She needed him to leave the shop right this minute, if he stayed a moment longer, she might break like all the glass at their feet and beg him not to go. And she knew that even if she begged he'd leave, she didn't want to face that.

"Can I come and see you tonight" He could see her shutting him out and it scared him

"You idiot!" She smiled as tears were already forming in her eyes

"So is that a yes?"

"Of course it is; why would I'll tell you no?" They were no longer forming but instead falling down her face.

"I'm just…" Now he knew why so many ninja's never married, now he knew why Kakashi, Gai and Asuma were still single. If he had to do this every time he left on a dangerous mission it'd kill both of them…

"Don't worry about it; I'll wait up for you." And with that she pushed him out of the shop.

_She knew that this was a part of being in love with a ninja, and she knew that in someway and at sometime it'd be Naruto who'd watch her leave on a mission that could cost her her life. But right now it was still new and it still hurt, and it was Sasuke they were going after, and no matter what happened on the mission it would change things for all of them forever, she was almost more afraid of losing the precarious peace that she and her comrades had developed between them since the loss of the Uchiha. She was afraid that they were all going to come back different people, if they came back at all…_

* * *

I need to see the Hokage! A long haired blonde was yelling in the young Chuunin guards face. 

"I already told you, she's busy!"

"Does this look like a face that cares whether or not she's busy" The blonde (who happened to be Ino) continued to shout at the Chuunin

"Look I'll go see if she's done being busy" The blonde was scary and he knew as well as she did that the Hokage's idea of busy was a game of five-card stud with several of the Jounin in her office.

But before the Chuunin could enter the Hokage's office the door opened and out walked Kakashi, Ebisu, and Genma all muttering about how it was unfair that they had to let the Hokage win, they were just turning the corner of the hallway when Genma turned his head and spoke,

"The fifth says to let the loud mouth blonde into her office" Ino decided to ignore the part about a loud mouth, because if she didn't she'd have to spend the next hour dueling with a Jounin who had no sense of propriety.

Instead she walked into the Hokage's office, not giving the fifth time to speak she declared "I NEED MY OWN MISSION"


	4. A Very bad day

A/NSame old song and dance, the disclaimers in the first three chapters. I'll have to apologize for the long wait, I've been a very angsty mood and I didn't really want to turn this into an angsty fic, so to compromise I've given one more character some angst to deal with so that I could just write this thing and get on with the story. Hopefully during the wait you enjoyed the two one-shots I put out, if not check 'em out. Also thinking about creating a NaruIno website…what do you guys think?

* * *

Shino, Chouji and Sakura were rather easy for Naruto to locate, mostly because they were exactly where he'd left them forty-five minutes ago. They hadn't been surprised to find out Naruto wanted to leave in the morning, as Shino had so eloquently put it "We've waited to long already".

That left only Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba and Lee for Naruto to locate. He was pretty sure where to find them, their routine didn't differ much from the day to day.

* * *

However unbeknownst to Naruto, Lee was in the middle of having an epiphany. Not that he was quite certain of what an epiphany was, but nonetheless.

_In so far as he could tell the only thing Gai-sensei had even been wrong about was love. This was a tough conclusion for the young nin to come to. After all, Gai-sensei had never been wrong about anything before, and yet on this most important issue following his advice had failed him again and again. Declarations of love were only returned with withering glares and any prolonged time spent in his presence seemed to annoy the object of his affection. Knowing these two things he'd finally decided to do the one thing the desire of his heart had requested of him, he would leave her alone. The thought of doing this broke his dedicated and youthful heart, but he was going to have to put her eternal happiness first and figure out a way to fulfill his vow to protect her with his life from afar. _

"This day will forever be known in Konoha's history as the day Rock Lee gave up his youthful aspirations of winning the fair Haruno Sakura's heart." Lee screamed this last part out as Naruto arrived in the clearing.

"I don't think you should give up."

"Why?"

"Because she's going to need you, we're going to get Sasuke."

* * *

Naruto had listened to Lee cry over his dilemma for a few minutes before he had to leave him, sending him to search out Gai for advice. The day was getting later and he still had three ninja's to track down.

Naruto knew there were some days that were good days and there were some days that were bad days, and today was one of the latter. He'd been fighting with Ino, Lee had chosen this very inopportune time to gain a back bone, and now as he approached Neji and Tenten he knew his day was going to get worse. He could overhear them arguing and he couldn't help but overhear what they were arguing about.

"You can't agree to go on this mission" Tenten was yelling loud enough that Naruto was sure the half deaf woman two streets down could hear him.

"I most certainly can" Naruto had to listen carefully to hear Neji's reply; well he supposed this probably did count as eavesdropping then.

"It's too dangerous, he's not worth it"

"It's not about him, it's about Konoha. It's my duty as a ninja"

"What about your duty to me?"

"This isn't the first mission I've gone on that's been dangerous and it won't be the last"

"I know you take dangerous assignments, I do too…but now…if you leave now and something happens…"

"They'll take care of you; Hinata won't leave you out in the cold"

"Can't this wait until after? Can't someone else do this?"

"This can't wait, and it's my mission. WE failed, and now we're going to go and set things right"

Naruto would have loved to walk away and pretend he'd never heard them, and even more nosy part of him admitted he'd love to sit and hear them finish the conversation but unfortunately time was of the essence and he didn't have enough of it.

"Neji. Tenten. Good Afternoon"

* * *

That had been messy, and he'd escaped after informing Neji of their departure time with a few inches missing off of his hair where he ducked when Tenten had thrown a kunai at his head.

* * *

Finding Kiba had been easy, and telling him had been even easier; he'd been training in the woods with Hinata and they both seemed to be expecting the news that he'd carried.

Finding Shikamaru unfortunately hadn't been quite as easy, after all there were a lot of grassy knolls in which to find a lazy shinobi, but once found his only response had been very typical.

"How troublesome…"

* * *

If Naruto was having a bad day, Ino's was worse…

She'd confronted the Hokage.

The Hokage gave her a mission.

She'd reconsidered ever demanding anything from the Hokage again…


	5. Demons

_A/N Same old song and dance, the disclaimers in the first three chapters. I always said that reviews didn't matter to me, but when I got only one for my last chapter I was so disappointed I didn't even want to look at this fic, so it took me quite a while before I went back over and realized that my last chapter was quite disjointed and a little chaotic, so I again attempt to write the fic that's kept me up at night trying to figure out the fight scenes._

* * *

He's supposed that if this were like any other goodbye it would be a lot easier, after all he was a ninja and ninjas were good at the whole goodbye thing. But when he'd gone to get her last night from the shop (where she had told her parents she'd be doing inventory all night) she hadn't said a word and only held his hand tightly as they walked to "their" spot in the woods. They'd lain together quietly in the grass all night watching the dusk fade to stars and as they awakened the stars fade to dawn. He had a million things he wanted to tell her as they walked to the gates, but he knew that he wanted something to remember while he was out there and if either of them spoke they'd probably argue and that'd ruin it all, and she seemed to understand that as well which he could only add as the one thousand and seventy eighth thing he loved about her.

* * *

"I love you" Her voice broke the quiet misty morning 

"I love you too" He embraced her as the others in his group approached them and he had to pull away all too quickly for either of their tastes.

"We're leaving now" He couldn't meet her gaze

"Stay safe, and if you get a chance grab me a souvenir" She hugged him quickly a smile on her face that seemed somewhat grotesque considering the atmosphere. He quietly thanked God she wasn't making a scene and responded to her with the good guy pose "I'll get you something from the first peddler I see!" With that he ran to catch up with his team who had by passed the couple and were waiting at the entrance to the village.

* * *

This was "it" the thing that every moment of the last three years had been leading up too, and he knew that he may not come back, he knew that each one of them might not come back. Which if he'd given any thought to it all would have made him wonder why he only chose his close friends for this mission, after all the whole village was filled with ninja's who were nothing more than cannon fodder to him, but he didn't give it any further thought and chose only those that he trusted and respected. He knew that each of them had their own problems and their own demons to fight, but Sasuke was the one demon they all had in common, so they would go forth and conquer as the ninja stories of old told of.


End file.
